Like Puzzle Pieces
by NightWolfMoon
Summary: Human AU. Ivan goes to a toy store on Black Friday to find a Christmas gift for his niece. A worker there, Alfred, looks familiar. Their pasts are filled with cracks that threaten happiness in the present, but Ivan wants to find happiness with Alfred. They may not be able to cure one-another, but each is a piece of the other's puzzle.


Irina had been clear about the toy Ivan needed to get for little Yekaterina.

_She always stresses over the smallest things_, he thought, pulling on the red ski cap with a white ball on top. Natalya had made it for him, and she would complain if he didn't wear it once in a while. She'd worked hard, and while she looked cold and aloof to many, she was actually quite fragile emotionally. She'd learned to build walls; they all had.

The lot was filled with cars, SUVs, and pick-up trucks. The towering man with silver-blond hair felt his usual smile slip as he adjusted his yellow turtleneck, so it hit just under his chin, and he stuck his gloved hands into the pockets of his tan-colored trench coat.

Why in _hell_ did he decide to find this toy on Black Friday?

Oh, right.

"_Just check, please?" Irina pleaded, fixing the light blue headband that kept her straw-colored hair away from her heart-shaped face. "After Black Friday, they'll be out, I'm sure of it."_

He probably could have just gotten it online, but he was already here. Plus, Ivan needed to get out of his apartment. His roommate had recently gotten a boyfriend, and if Ivan didn't need them to help with rent, they'd be long gone by now.

_Toris is like an angel_, thought Ivan, thinking of the quiet brunet. _How a demon managed to take his heart, I have no clue_.

One day, Feliks was going to push Ivan too far. He was sure of it.

Yet, whenever Ivan managed to raise his voice to stand up for himself, Feliks would try pulling the "homophobe" card.

"I'm bi, you idiot," muttered Ivan, quickly straightening up and slapping a smile on his rectangular face as he approached the crowds.

"Papa, his eyes!" squealed a girl with cocoa skin and red ribbons keeping her long dark hair in twin ponytails. "They're like Twilight's!"

She waved the doll, nearly dropping the stuffed fish she was also carrying.

Keeping a grip on her hand as he looked away from his checklist, the girl's father gasped, "Oh, Ivan?"

_Francis,_ Ivan remembered. The shorter man with honey-blond hair and a bit of stubble had been the TA in Ivan's biology lab. He'd been very helpful and patient, and they had kept in touch when Francis graduated three years ago.

"Nice seeing your smile again," said the shorter man. "You were always able to keep one no matter what. I always found that admirable."

Smiling was the easiest way to deceive. Ivan had learned that as a child. Irina had also said smiling was the best way to make friends, but as a child, his smiles only seemed to keep the other kids away. Only one boy had approached him back then, but he'd moved in second grade, leaving Ivan alone. By then, smiling had become the only weapon in his arsenal for defense purposes.

If he smiled, he couldn't cry, and Braginski men did not cry.

Stopping and making sure to keep out of the path of cars, Ivan waved at the girl. "Hello, you must be Michelle." He remembered seeing pictures of her on Facebook. "Is Twilight you're favorite?"

"She's so cool! My sissy likes Rainbow Dash more, though." Michelle grinned ear to ear, showing that two of her teeth were missing. "I like Zecora too, but I always liked Twilight bestest."

"It's 'best', _ma fifille_," Francis corrected gently, smiling as the wind teased his shoulder length locks.

"_Oui_, _Papa_," Michelle replied, still smiling. "Are we going to get hot cocoa when Daddy gets home from work?"

"_Mais oui_!" Francis smiled wide, sky blue eyes sparkling.

He was such a doting father. Through the back window of the Prius, Ivan could see bags filled with all sorts of things, especially toys. Michelle's sister was named named Alessia, who was probably twelve or thirteen, from what Ivan remembered. He thought he also remembered reading Francis was thinking about a third child, to which Arthur quickly replied that two was plenty for now.

But then, Arthur had said "One is enough" back before Michelle had been adopted.

"Working? Already?" asked Ivan.

Francis sighed as Michelle began rocking from side to side. She looked ready to go, not that shopping was done.

"Yes," Francis groaned. "Lawyers do not get much rest, I am afraid. He does his best to be home as much as he can, though." He suddenly brightened, though the dark crescents beneath his eyes were obvious. "How are your sisters? I've been seeing pictures of Irina's daughter."

"Yekaterina turned four a couple weeks ago," Ivan replied, brushing his too-long bangs from his violet eyes. "I'm here to pick up a toy she really wants for her Christmas present. Irina has her hands full with her and also being six months along with her next one, but Matthew does a lot to help. Nat's still studying for pre-law."

_Studying to the point of having less of a social life than me_, Ivan didn't say.

Whenever he suggested Natalya go meet with some friends, she would simply look him in the eye and remark, "I will if you will."

"Good for her!" Francis beamed, then looked down as Michelle tugged on the sleeve of his blue-grey coat. "Okay, _ma fifille_, we are leaving soon." He turned back to Ivan with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. She wants to show Alessia her new fish and get started on wrapping the boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Let me know if Natalya ever needs help. I know Arthur would be more than happy to give pointers or put in a good word."

Smiling, Ivan nodded. "Thank you. Have a good day." He bent down so he could meet Michelle's chocolate eyes. "You too, and be good for your dads, alright?"

"Okay, Mr. Sparkle!" Michelle threw her tiny arms around Ivan's neck, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Wee! Tall!" she squealed as Ivan stood, arms around her waist before she handed her back to Francis, who chuckled as he opened the back door of the Prius to put her into her car seat. "Bye-bye!"

Ivan waved to the two of them and headed into the crowded store. Christmas carols were already blasting from the speakers, "Jingle Bell Rock" coming to an end.

"Everyone in the English-speaking world knows that song," laughed a teenage girl with wavy auburn hair pulled up in a high ponytail.

Her two friends busted out laughing, and Ivan found a corner of his wide mouth inching upwards as he tried to find a worker that didn't look too harried.

Mariah Carey's rendition of "All I Want for Christmas is You" started playing as Ivan decided to start browsing the aisles. One guy ran into his shoulder without so much as slowing down or throwing a "Sorry" his way. A woman nearly knocked him down, and he could have sworn that one toddler tried to _bite_ him.

He hated people sometimes.

In the aisle between shelves holding model-type toys and shelves holding board- and card games, a blond man that looked to be close to Ivan's age was getting yelled at by a middle-aged woman holding onto leashes that kept her little kids from dashing off in opposite directions. She looked like she hadn't slept in a week, all the irritation that could come from trying to wrangle small kids unloading onto this poor worker.

Who looked awfully familiar.

"You can_not_ be out!" the woman railed, voice so high-pitched, it sounded inhuman. "I saw some just last week!"

"Ma'am, we've had customers since opening," the worker attempted to explain, ocean blue eyes darkening even though a smile stayed plastered in place. "They're popular toys, so they must have all been—"

"But I _saw_ them—!"

Unable to watch this any longer, Ivan approached, casting a shadow over the woman. "Excuse me."

"Wha—?" Her dark eyes widened as she looked up at him, and she then mumbled something about seeing something else in another aisle her sons would like. "Jeffery! Gregory! Come on or I'll drag y'all across the floor!"

The worker slumped for a moment in relief, and his eyes brightened behind his black plastic-framed glasses as he gave a crooked smile. Snake bite piercings marked his bottom lip, the silver studs sparkling as the fluorescent light hit them.

"Thanks, dude. Looking for anything specific?" the worker asked, combing his dirty blond bangs away from his face. It was short and parted to the side, a stubborn cowlick bouncing as he spoke. "I owe ya one for saving me from the devil in knockoffs."

"Oh, right." Ivan retrieved his Samsung from his pocket, tapped in the security code, and showed the picture to the worker. "My niece really wants one of these. Do you have any left?"

"Ah, Pokémon girl, eh?" The worker gave a toothy grin and waved the taller man to follow. "I like her already. I know it sounds dorky, but I got my own collection of those too. Started when I was probably her age, and I'm not stopping now."

He barked a laugh, and Ivan found himself smiling with ease as he followed closely, trying to keep out of people's way.

"She trying to collect all the Eeveelutions?" asked the blond man. "We should still have some Leafeons too, if your niece would like one. The Sylvions and Umbreons left the shelf fastest. We still had a few Eevees left, last I saw, but those usually don't last long on the shelves either. Out of all of the Pokémon toys, those are definitely the most popular after Pikachu. Actually, Charmander comes really close. Zorua too."

This guy could talk a mile a minute.

Looking back at the picture of the blue cat-looking (or fox, maybe?) thing, Ivan sidestepped a line of charging kids with a haggard older sibling or guardian trying to catch up and keep them in order. However, he ended up hitting a woman, making her drop the Monopoly Deal deck she was looking at.

"Sorry!" Ivan called back to her before tucking his Samsung back into his coat pocket. "I don't know. I really never liked Pokémon all that much."

"No kidding?" The worker cast as shocked look his way, and the tag on his lanyard swayed, showing his name: Alfred F. Jones.

Ivan blushed, cursing his translucent skin.

"Sorry, dude. The only time I heard people say they didn't like Pokémon was when they were scared of being called immature or something, mostly back in middle or high school."

He faced forward and turned down an aisle with blue-painted shelves as "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" started playing overhead.

"Vlad, a friend in high school, tried to get me into Magic, but mostly I liked to read. I'm also good with computers." Ivan also liked to knit, but he wasn't going to say so aloud.

The worker had to weave through some people looking at Minecraft- and Legos-related toys so they could get to the other end, where Ivan could already see rows of Pokémon, Digimon, and Skylanders. "Magic's a lot of fun. I played with my friend Yi Ling at college. Jerk geek guys never knew what hit them."

He barked another laugh, and Ivan's heart flipped at the sound.

He couldn't understand why. It sounded almost as grating as Gilbert's. (How Matthew ever became friends with that loudmouth, Ivan cannot understand.)

"Don't read many books, though. I'm more into comics and graphic novels. Easier on my dyslexia, and my friend Felicia really got me into looking at and comparing different art styles. Guess I tend to be into a little of everything." Alfred held his arms up as in presentation as he gave a toothy grin, bright eyes sparkling despite the darkness beneath them. "Ta-da!"

There were three Glaceons left, and Ivan grabbed one as a little girl sprinted up out of nowhere, snatched up a Glaceon and yellow-and-white spiky plushie before dashing off again, squealing in excitement.

Black Friday made jungles look tame. It scared Ivan a little, to be completely honest.

There were two orange-and-yellow ones left, three blue ones with fins, one purple one with a red dot on its head, and three of the green-and-tan ones Ivan assumed to be Leafeon.

Ivan also picked up the purple cat-looking one, recognizing all the rest form Yekaterina's bed. That meant she probably didn't have this one, and he could already see her eyes lighting up like stars when she opened her presents on Christmas morning.

"Espeon," Alfred supplied, combing his bangs back again. "Also popular, so you're in luck."

"Thank you very much," said Ivan, smile coming much more easily than usual.

His smiles were often like putting on a mask. This was perfectly natural, and it felt… nice.

"Sure thing." A corner of the blonde's mouth twitched, color touching his cheeks. "Yo, my friend I mentioned earlier, Felicia, she's actually here with two other friends. They're waiting for my break so we can meet for lunch. You care to join?"

His voice was uncharacteristically shaky, and he'd spoken more slowly than he had before.

"Sorry if I sound like a total creep," he quickly added. "Just wanna thank you for helping me out with Mom-zilla. Also, I don't really have too many friends here, and you seem cool." Color bled over his cheeks, and he quickly added, "Sorry if that sounds weird."

It sounded like Alfred wanted to speak to him more, and Ivan wanted to hear more. He was touched that someone was willing to pour out details of his life to him.

Most kept their distance, or, like Toris, tried to keep a calm demeanor around him. It made Ivan feel as though they didn't trust him with emotion issues. Sometimes he felt like everyone saw him as a walking time bomb. It hurt, but he would just try to keep smiling anyway, unsure as to how to tell people how much it hurt. He had been hiding his feelings for so long, he sometimes wasn't even sure if he even had them anymore.

"Lunch sounds great," Ivan found himself saying in a monotone, face blank, even his usual smile erased due to surprise of the situation.

Maybe the others had a point, then, but he could learn. He was sure of it. People that could laugh, cry, or scream easily were his favorite kinds of people. They were passionate, this passion showing through their expressions and rolling of their aura in an intoxicating way.

This was probably why as much as Feliks annoyed Ivan, he also respected the guy on some level as well. Feliks always said hell to gender norms, unafraid to show his nervousness or sorrow whenever it hit.

Alfred instantly brightened. "Cool! My break's in about a half-hour. Can I give you my number so you know when and where to join us?"

Only able to nod, Ivan fished out his cellphone and handed it to the shorter man, getting the blonde's slim-flip phone in exchange. It was an older model, a little beaten around one edge.

"There," the worker said when he was done, and they switched their phones back. He handed back the phone and waved as children screamed from a neighboring aisle and a man called over for help. "See ya later!"

"See you." Ivan's voice was low, and Alfred was already helping another customer.

Taking a breath, the tall man pushed his phone back into his pocket and went to find the shortest line available at checkout. Seven songs played through as he waited, the chorus of "Grown-Up Christmas List" lifting over the chaos of the shoppers as Ivan left. The plushies were in his pocket along with the receipt; the toys were small, so he had said "No thanks" to the plastic bag.

The store was at one end of Hetaville Square, and Kindly Books a couple stores down. The owner was Dylan, one of the four Kirkland brothers, and he nodded in greeting to Ivan as he passed, sipping from a thermos as he read a book at the front desk.

Sequestered in a back corner with _The Serpent's Shadow_, Ivan waited for the text, only half-paying attention to what was happening in the book. He couldn't help wondering if Alfred read this series or any of Riordan's books. He had said he didn't read much, but he would probably enjoy fast-paced novels like this.

There were graphic novels. He read those. Ivan wondered if he should buy one as a present. Dylan had good sales for the holidays.

When he was nearing the middle of the book, Ivan's cellphone beeped twice. He checked it, finding a text from "Charizard"—Alfred.

His friend Feli—a nickname for Felicia, apparently—was craving pasta, so they were carpooling to the Mediterranean restaurant not far from here. They were on their way to the parking lot now, so Ivan went to put the book back before heading out, nearly bowling through a group of girls chattering about how worried they were about the _City of Ashes_ movie coming out.

"Sorry!" he threw their way as the silver-haired one shouted, "Watch it, _Arschgesicht_!"

"Please no using that sort of language in my store," said Dylan in a bored tone, chestnut-brown bangs falling over his emerald eyes. "There are children about."

He'd had to say the exact same thing to his brothers Alistair and Arthur many times, Ivan knew, though Arthur had cooled his vocabulary in recent years. Francis had been livid about Alessia coming home with notes saying she'd been calling fellow classmates "twats," "cunts," and "wankers."

Out in the parking lot outside the toy store, Alfred was walking with two girls, one the brunette Ivan recognized from earlier. She'd been the one to make that _Mean Girls_ quote when "Jingle Bell Rock" played. Ivan finally recognized her, realizing this must be Felicia Edelstein. She'd been a grade below him, but they'd had 3-D Art together, back when Ivan thought he'd try his hand at pottery.

By her side was a girl whose head only came up to her shoulder (though she was wearing flats while the brunette wore high-heeled boots). She had board-straight hair so black, it almost looked blue when sunlight managed to break through the smudges of grey clouds. It was cut neatly at her chin, fringe bangs cut straight across her eyebrows.

She looked East Asian, and Ivan was embarrassed to admit he couldn't really tell the difference between the people of those countries. Japanese, maybe? Her features were different from Yao's, but Yao had said two Chinese people from different regions could look drastically different from one-another.

As Ivan approached, Alfred looked over and smiled as he waved him over. "Hey, dude!" He pointed to the brunette and then the Asian girl. "This is Felicia and Mameko. Monica had to leave. Something to do with her brother, Gil."

Gilbert Beilschmidt?

_That's right_, thought Ivan. _I've met her a few times. Always a lot calmer than her brother, and always listening to music. Sometimes I forget how small this town is._

"Gil's fine, but he wouldn't text for help, even if he wasn't." Gloved hands going to the back of her neck, Felicia huffed. "I think she just didn't want to feel like a fifth wheel."

"I thought you were trying to hook her up with your brother," said Alfred, hands in the pockets of his faded-blue coat.

"Lovi left for school already," Felicia sighed. "He has this big presentation Monday. Apparently his professor's Dr. Satan." She stuck her tongue out.

Mameko smiled, looking close to giggling. Her chocolate-brown eyes turned to Ivan. "It's nice to meet you. Are you studying anything? Felicia and I attend Duke. She's majoring in art, and I'm majoring in anthropology."

"Yeah," said Felicia as she fished keys out of her coat pocket. "I'm planning on being unemployed and relying on Mami's paycheck."

She grinned ear to ear, amber eyes sparkling. She unlocked her silver Elantra and walked around to the driver's side as Mameko went to the back to sit behind her.

"Don't listen to her," Mameko sighed. "She has already sold commissions online and has won money for contests since middle school. She just likes to joke about the art-student stereotypes."

"Might as well beat everyone to the punch." Felicia shrugged and turned to Ivan, golden-brown eyes bright even with the overcast sky. She placed her forearms atop the car as she smirked. "I remember you from high school. Ever learn how to throw a pot without actually _throwing_ the pot?"

Smiling awkwardly, Ivan shook his head. "Not sure if I'd ever be allowed back in an art room after that."

Felicia just laughed, and Mameko smiled, looking like she'd heard the story before.

"New guys get shotgun," Alfred said as he pushed Ivan forward and opened the back door. The glint in his eyes as he smiled caused a twinge of nervousness to run through the taller man.

"You guys always give me shit about my driving," Felicia complained, getting behind the wheel. "I haven't gotten a ticket in over a year! And that last one was just because my tail light was out."

Ivan got into the passenger seat and adjusted it so he had some leg room as Alfred replied, "Whatever makes you feel better, hon."

Felicia muttered something under her breath and tucked her side-sweeping bangs back so most of it got tucked behind her multi-pierced ear.

Making the "new guy" sit shotgun while Felicia was behind the wheel felt awfully like hazing, especially when she wove through traffic in a way that seemed horrifyingly impossible. They made it to the restaurant in under three minutes, and Mameko seemed to be trying really hard to not laugh at the look on Ivan's face as she kept one hand on the "Oh shit" bar above her door. Alfred was grabbing his with both hands, glasses halfway down his narrow-bridged nose.

"_Hell_ yeah!" Felicia cheered as she killed the engine. "Record time!"

"_Hell_ is almost where you sent us," said Alfred as he unbuckled himself.

Felicia rolled her eyes and opened her door. "_You_ maybe. I'm an angel."

"Fallen angel," chuckled Alfred, and Felicia glared as she slammed her door shut.

Lunch went smoothly, Mameko apologizing that Ivan had gotten cut off before asking again what he studied. She sat across from him, Felicia next to her, and Alfred sat on Ivan's left. The waitress knew the three by name and even asked what Monica, Arnesen, and Yong Soo were up to.

She hadn't even needed to take Alfred's or Felicia's orders, and Mameko ordered a Mediterranean salad while Ivan requested pork souvlaki, which came with some stuffed grape leaves.

As she left, they went back to their conversation, Ivan talking about classes at East Carolina University, which he commuted to, seeing as it was only about forty to fifty minutes away—possibly twenty minutes if he drove like Felicia, whose eyes sparkled when her large plate of Spaghetti alla Puttanesca arrived.

Alfred's eyes shone when Ivan said he was majoring in computer science and minoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Felicia commented here and there that it sounded so cool and was jealous, saying she was hopeless with computers aside from using art programs.

"And even then, I need to drag someone from graphic design to help me," she said around a mouthful of pasta, Mameko handing her napkins.

Mameko focused on evolutionary anthropology, and she was at odds with her conservative religious parents about it. They didn't believe in evolution, and her mother had hoped Mameko would study to become a doctor, possibly a surgeon.

"Apparently, they don't realize I'd study evolution in biology and anatomy, anyway," she sighed after a long sip of water.

Alfred was double-majoring in psychology and pharmaceuticals, and he had taken his exams early before transferring out of his school in northern California. However, he'd been too late to try getting scholarship money, so he was taking a year off to save up and apply later. He'd been on good terms with a few professors at his old college, so they were helping with recommendation letters.

"Getting on Dr. Adnan's good side had been the best decision I made at that place," Alfred laughed, dipping a piece of his calzone into marinara sauce. "He's an asshat, but he's a genius asshat. A genius asshat with connections."

He popped the piece into his mouth as he checked his phone as the waitress brought a take-out box for him.

"Thanks, Mrs. Karpusi," Alfred sang as he grinned.

"Of course, Al," she replied, heading back to the kitchen. "Work hard, now. And stop picking fights at school, Feli! Your mother talked about it last she was here."

"Yes, ma'am," mumbled the brunette as she sank into her chair, Mameko covering her mouth as she giggled.

Putting the pepperoncini from her salad into her girlfriend's open mouth, Mameko asked, "Have you spoken with your family here more, Al?"

"Liam." Alfred shrugged. "Odd, when he hadn't been born yet when the shit-storm hit, but Jett's still butt-sore about the conversation we had three years ago. When _he_ was the one…" Alfred shook his head and popped another piece of calzone into his mouth. "It's whatever, but I'm not sure what to say to Aunt Alice when I meet her tomorrow."

"Sorry," Mameko said after some hesitation, as though she couldn't think of anything else to say. "I'm sure everything will turn out fine."

Some color touched her cheeks, and Felicia leaned forward so her elbows were on the table.

"Well, Mom and Dad say you can stay at our place long as you need to," she said with a wide grin. "Dad says you're getting better at playing piano. I haven't seen him that impressed in a while, but I think he's just glad to have at least _one_ person in the house who plays other than him." She chuckled nervously, and she redid her high ponytail. "Lovi and I never really got into it. I'm completely tone deaf, I swear, and Lovi's just lazy as hell when it comes to anything other than what he likes."

Combing his bangs back, Alfred said, "Music's hell to read, though."

His cheeks reddened, but his smile and eyes showed gratefulness. It made Ivan wonder exactly what had happened those years ago, but he couldn't ask here.

They then left as Ivan talked about his niece and sisters. Mameko asked about his niece more, blushing heavily when Felicia teased her about them raising their own kids one day.

"Nice meeting you, Ivan," said Mameko as they all got into the car, she and Alfred quickly claiming the back seats again.

"Yeah!" Felicia exclaimed as she got behind the wheel. "You're cool. My neck hurts when I try to meet your eyes, though."

Ivan smiled. It was nice having someone compliment his height rather than see it as intimidating.

The drive back was just as terrifying as to the restaurant, but now Mameko had to move to the passenger's seat. She and Felicia were going to see a movie before going to Felicia's place so get all her stuff together for classes.

"Pick you up after work!" the brunette promised as Alfred left his take-out box in the backseat and slammed the door shut. "Seven, right?"

"Seven-thirty," he responded.

"Got it!" She peeled away, Ivan making sure he was far enough away to make sure his feet didn't get run over.

_Poor Mameko_, thought Ivan, smirking a little. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Sure!" Alfred stuck his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "So, I'll see ya around? Tell me about some of your favorite books? Or maybe we can play a video game or something."

His voice was shaky again like back when he was first asking to exchange numbers, and Ivan's breath hitched as his heart rate sped up.

"Yeah," he breathed. "My older sister wants to go into designing one day, so she has a lot of games lying around, mostly horror. That's her favorite genre."

"Got _Doom Four_ yet?"

"I like _The Evil Within_ more. We also have _F.E.A.R_ and _Fatal Frame III_. I also got my sister _SOMA_ and _Kodoku_ for Christmas. When she's beat them, we'll be able to play those."

Grinning ear to ear, Alfred waved as he turned towards the store. "It's a date then!"

Heat exploded through Ivan's face, but before he could say anything in response, Alfred waved as he head for the store.

"Later!"

Ivan turned to head towards his car, still blushing heavily as his mouth curved into a small, gleeful smile.

"Later," he whispered into the wind.

**X X X**

Yekaterina had finally gone down for her nap, and Matthew all but collapsed onto the high-backed chair across from Ivan. The table was in the kitchen, near the hallway with the bedrooms, but the doorway leading into the hall was closed, the wood covered in pictures Yekaterina had colored.

Irina was at a yoga class specifically for pregnant women, which wouldn't end for about another twenty minutes. She liked going out with friends from the class afterwards, so she probably wouldn't be home until dinner was ready.

"And you thought the animals at the zoo were wild," Ivan joked, highlighting a passage in his Survey of American Literature textbook.

Most of it was boring as hell, but some of the stories of Flannery O'Connor weren't all that bad.

"Oh, the bears might as well be stuffed, they're so tame compared to Teri. Especially little Kuma, our new cub." Matthew laughed lightly and sat up as he pushed up his wire-framed glasses. "But you said you wanted to talk about someone earlier? Is it someone you like?"

Heat flared through Ivan's face as he glanced down at his book.

Matthew laughed again, but it was good-natured.

As he pulled his wavy, corn silk hair back and tied it off, Matthew said, "I'm really not sure if I can be much help, but I'm always ready to listen."

Swallowing, Ivan looked up and was put at ease by his brother-in-law's smiling face. His hair was grown out to just past his shoulders, and Irina had been asking him to get it cut.

"His name's Alfred. Alfred Jones," Ivan blurted out, seeing Matthew's smile slip and his skin start to pale. "I met him while buying the toys for Teri."

"Oh" was all Matthew said.

Heart nudging up his throat, Ivan managed, "I've heard about 'those Joneses' when I was younger. I recognized him as the kid I played with in kindergarten and first grade. He hasn't said much about his past, but I've pieced together a bit of it. Was his mom a drug-addict?"

After a deep breath, Matthew nodded and exhaled slowly. He leaned forward, arms folding on the table's dark surface. "Crystal meth is what I heard. Some also say cocaine and that she grew pot in her basement, but I don't really know for sure." His eyes closed, and he let out a long, slow breath. "Alfred's mom was Aunt Alice's younger sister, so she tagged along with her and my mom when they were young. But then, from what I hear, Mrs. Jones fell into a bad crowd. Aunt Alice always blamed herself."

While Alice wasn't related to Matthew by blood, she had been childhood friends with Marianne, Matthew's mother, so they might as well have been.

It would make sense, then, for Alfred to want to double-major in psychology and pharmacy. He probably wanted to make a difference and try to keep more people from ending up as his mom had—Ivan was imagining the worst at this point. Crystal meth or cocaine… They were no joke, even if the only things Ivan knew about drugs were from _Breaking Bad_ and Natalya talking about some of those books by Ellen Hopkins.

Matthew went to the stove at the kitchen island. "Alfred actually stayed with Aunt Alice, while his mom went to rehab, and she stayed clean for almost two years, or so my mom said." He set the kettle onto the stove and turned it on. "But then she got back with Al's dad—more like a sperm donor, really. Nothing fatherly about that man—who had also been her supplier. She fell off the wagon."

Matthew held up a box of tea, and Ivan shook his head.

"Al's dad was moving to California, and his mom decided to go with him and bring Al." Matthew retrieved a mug that was autumn-themed, covered with images of maple leaves. "She was screwed up beyond all reason, but she did love him. That can be hard to remember with everything."

"Loving him doesn't mean she's fit to take care of him," Ivan pointed out, reminded of his grandfather. If Matthew hadn't been by Irina's side with his family standing behind them, she would have lost custody of Ivan and Natalya to that man.

That was all over now, but healing was something that was ongoing and often had to be done over and over.

Taking another deep breath, Matthew nodded. "Exactly." He placed a teabag into the mug and put the box away. "She was clean long enough to fool the judge, though, and her boyfriend—later husband—was real good at putting on an act. And he also didn't love Alfred near as much Al's mom."

Ivan's heart turned hard and plummeted through his stomach at that.

Shoulders sagging, the older man watched the kettle. "Al's mom died of overdose a year ago. Jett, Alfred's cousin, told me when he and his younger brother, Liam, were at the zoo a few weeks ago." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as his arms crossed over his chest. "Aunt Alice must know by now, too. Her house isn't big enough for a third kid, but I know she'll try to help in any way she can. The question is whether Alfred will let her."

The sound of water beginning to boil filled the room. Ivan sat sideways in the chair so it was easier to see his brother-in-law, and he propped his elbow up on the chair's back.

"Liam said Alfred was attending a community college in San Francisco." Matthew turned off the stove and poured water into his mug. "Then UCSD or UCLA I think. One of the UC schools. I'm not even sure if I'm at the right part of the state."

As Matthew sat in the chair to Ivan's left, the younger man shifted again to face him, rapt and with a heart somehow still and speeding at once.

Ivan watched as Matthew gently pulled on the teabag's string, the water turning amber.

"Liam said Al's dad found him at college." Matthew took out the teabag and placed it into the small bowl between the salt-and-pepper shakers for Irina to use for one of her art pieces later. "So he came back home. He's friends with Mameko. Met her in Sunday school when they were little, I think Aunt Alice said to me and Mom."

Time passed as silence stretched, both men lost in their thoughts as a small noise from the hallway roused them.

"Daddy…," came a sniffling cry, followed by the sound of a door hitting the wall as it was flung open. "The monsters are trying to eat me!"

Her voice sounded louder then, only muffled by one door rather than two.

Getting up, Ivan pushed the sleeves of his off-white turtle neck past his elbows.

"I'll make her some hot chocolate while you calm her down," he said.

Pushing the now-empty mug away and getting up, Matthew chuckled, "You and Nat spoil her so much."

"Kids need to be spoiled once in a while," Ivan replied, placing the kettle back onto the still-hot circle and turning it back on.

Smiling, Matthew shook his head but didn't disagree. He opened the hallway door as a tiny figure with long blonde ringlets flung herself into his arms.

"Daddy!" she cried into his sweater. "The monsters scared me again…."

"Shh," Matthew cooed, rubbing circles over her back. "I'm here now, my angel. Daddy's here, and Uncle Vanya is here too. He's making you a special potion that makes you invisible to monsters. You're safe. You're okay." He glanced at Ivan over his glasses, giving him a reassuring smile. "Everyone's okay."

**X X X**

"No!" cried Yekaterina, arms and legs wrapped around Ivan's jean-clad leg.

He hadn't even put on his boots yet. It had begun to snow, the little girl singing "Let It Go" for the past two hours until Ivan announced that he'd be back later this afternoon.

On the oval-shaped coffee table in front of the L-shaped couch, where Irina lounged on the long section in an oversized T-shirt that read **9 Months Sober**, Natalya set up the teacups. Matthew set a saucer of tiny gingerbread men next to the teapot, which held iced tea.

From the kitchen, Marianne—no "Mrs.", "Ms.", or "ma'am" allowed—worked on Christmas dinner. Irina had tried to help earlier before getting shooed out, Marianne saying all Irina needed to do was to rest and keep her baby healthy.

"Teri, I'll be back later," Ivan promised, taking his red scarf from the coatrack between the French doors and rocking chair.

"But I want you to join the tea party!" Yekaterina protested, pouting as her violet-tinted blue eyes widened. "Booshka and Ms. Alice say you can't say no to tea. Wars start that way."

Natalya and Ivan had been the ones to teach Yekaterina the word 'Babushka' when Matthew and Irina were still deciding what the girl should call Marianne. Matthew had called his grandparents Nana and Papa, whereas since Ivan was fifteen, the Braginski grandparents had only been referred to as Assholes 1 and 2.

Yekaterina still had trouble saying "Babushka," but "Booshka" had quickly grown on Marianne. She was very big on people learning their heritage, having taken Matthew on a trip to Normandy when he was in his early teens.

"Mom?" Matthew turned to face the kitchen. "I thought I told you and Aunt Alice no more _Doctor Who._ Teri's been getting nightmares of the Silence and Weeping Angels."

Alice was a close friend of Marianne's since childhood, so Matthew referred to her as his aunt.

Marianne called back, "She's fine, dear. No worse than you after watching _The Labyrinth_ when you were five. Now, come and help with the fish. Teri! Come help me with the sweet potatoes. They need marshmallows on top. Can you do that for me?"

The four-year-old looked at the kitchen and then up at her uncle.

"I'll be back before dinner, okay?" said Ivan in a soft voice, bending down to meet her eyes. "And I would love to try the sweet potatoes, since you're helping with them."

Brightening instantly, Yekaterina threw her arms around her uncle's neck and kissed him on the cheek. "Okay, Uncle Vanya!"

Her pale braid smacked her back as she ran to the kitchen, pushing up the sleeves of her Elsa dress. A year since first watching _Frozen_, and she was still obsessed.

Natalya put two tiny gingerbread men on each of the six saucers by the teacups. "Don't forget the present." She pointed towards the dining room, behind the two easy chairs left of the front doors. "And I looked at your phone, while you helped with the pies, _braht_. If you do not ask him out, I will."

She sat on the couch next to Irina, popping one of the extra cookies into her mouth. Irina grunted as she sat up, crossing her legs, and she took the dark blue bow from atop Natalya's head and started to braid some of it, leaving locks to flow over her narrow shoulders. She was wearing a blue dress and cloak, which she had worn for the Fandom Dance a club their college had held the past semester. With pale blonde hair and deep blue eyes that looked violet in a certain light, much of the student body had taken to calling her Kahleesi.

Already by the table were the three dragons Ivan had gifted her with: one green, one white, and one black. Next to them were Glaceon and Espeon, the rest of the Eeveelutions on the long part of the dark grey couch with Baymax, Olaf, Pooh Bear, some assorted stuffed animals, and all the _My Little Pony_ plushies she'd collected so far.

Ivan's face burned as he yanked on his calf-high, dark brown boots, and Irina giggled as she finished the braids and connected them at the ends using Natalya's ribbon.

From the kitchen, Marianne was chiding Matthew, saying something about having taught him better and that he cooked like his father.

"Lord rest his soul," she added.

"Booshka?" called Yekaterina. "Am I doing good?"

"Yes, you're doing well, dear. _Merci beaucoup_."

"J-j-je…"

"Say '_Je vous en prie'_," instructed Marianne lightly.

"_Je vous_…"

"_En prie_."

"_En prie_."

"_Très bien_! Very good!"

Once his boots were on, Ivan got the present wrapped in shiny green paper from the dining room table. As he left, he muttered, "Because that worked _very_ well with Toris."

"I heard that!" Natalya called as Ivan grabbed his red hat and car keys. He shut the door and stepped onto the concrete porch, cutting off whatever his younger sister said next.

His breath misted, and mentally went over what to say. No time seemed to pass between him getting into the car and arriving at the Edelstein home. He didn't even remember the drive, his brain had been so-filled with what-if scenarios.

What if Alfred didn't like the present?

What if he was insulted by it? Or it brought back bad memories?

What if Ivan said the wrong thing?

What if someone barged in on them?

The silver Elantra wasn't in the driveway, so that meant at least Felicia was gone, probable to see Mameko. If Alfred had told her about Ivan coming over, then she probably would have convinced her brother to leave as well—she may try to fix him up with Monica again.

The house was Tudor-style, and the wreath on the brown door looked to be made of real pine branches. Mrs. Edelstein could be crafty and also loved to work outside, so she had probably made it.

Ivan could hear the doorbell from outside, and Mrs. Edelstein answered, bright green eyes shining as she gave a toothy grin.

"Hello, Ivan!" She pulled him into the foyer and shut the door behind him. "How is your sister? How far is she along? Six months? Seven months? I saw her at the market yesterday, shopping for Christmas dinner with Marianne. How is she doing?"

"Eliza, love, you're suffocating our guest," said Mr. Edelstein as he came out from the kitchen. It was in the back of the house, the den to the right, and the dining room and staircase leading to the second story on the left. "Alfred! He is your guest. It is only polite if you had been down here to greet him."

"Give him a break, dear," Mrs. Edelstein lightly scolded, hands going to her hips as one of her long, mousy curls fell over her face.

At the same time, Alfred called down from upstairs, "Sorry, Mr. Edelstein! I'm on my way down."

Mrs. Edelstein continued: "He was working on that thing almost all night. Not to mention filling out all those papers for scholarships. He's too proud to take 'hand-outs' from Alice. I almost think he's _your_ son."

As he sighed, a bit of color rose to Mr. Edelstein's cheeks. His wire-framed glasses slipped down the straight bridge of his nose. He pushed them back up and offered a polite smile to Ivan, azure eyes alit with graceful pride.

"Your family is doing well?" he inquired.

"Yes, sir," answered Ivan as Alfred started down the carpeted stairs. _Thank God._ "Marianne has been trying to convince Matthew and Irina to take piano lessons in a year or so."

Mr. Edelstein's smile grew more genuine, and his wife rolled her eyes as she went into the kitchen, saying she'd make more coffee and check on the cake.

"You are never too early to start learning, I have always believed," the man with dark brown hair said as Alfred reached the bottom of the staircase. "There is also no such thing as too late if you or your sisters become interested in learning. Alfred has learned to play 'Largo' almost flawlessly in just over a week."

Blush kissing his lips, Alfred turned to Ivan. The silver studs just below his bottom lip had been replaced with curved barbells, the little balls covered in tiny, green gems.

_Festive_, thought Ivan_, but I'm still surprised Mr. Edelstein never made him take them out._

"Hey," said Alfred, ocean blue eyes sparkling. He wore dark jeans and a black button-up shirt. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Ivan replied as Mrs. Edelstein called her husband to help her with layers of the second cake.

Noticing none of them were wearing shoes, Ivan handed Alfred the present and took off his boots, leaving them next to the rack between the door and long table in the foyer. There were picture frames holding images of the Edelstein family and a vase of poinsettias.

"We can go up to my room," said Alfred, immediately blushing more upon realizing how that sounded. "Uh, I-I got something for you there." The blush deepened, and Ivan smiled.

It was actually cute watching him get this flustered. They'd only gotten together twice since Black Friday, both times at Ivan's apartment while Toris and Feliks were out. So there had been no real talk of becoming "official", really, but Ivan hoped.

"Keep the door open!" Mr. Edelstein commanded as the two young men started heading up the stairs.

"Roddy!" Mrs. Edelstein hissed. "Cakes, now."

Now, Ivan was the one with the burning face as he followed Alfred up the stairs, and then to the right. His room was the former guest room at the end of the hall. It was connected to Lovino's room (the _Keep Out_ sign had told Ivan the room was Lovino's) by a rest room. Alfred chatted that Felicia's room was on the other end of the hall, and she had her own half-bath, coming to Lovino's and Alfred's when she needed to shower.

"She used to have my room but changed when she turned thirteen and didn't want to share space with her brother anymore," said Alfred, trying to fill space. "They're out right now. The park, I think. They're probably hoping it'll snow more for a snowball fight. Mameko and Monica will be joining them."

Alfred's room didn't really look like how one would expect. Bedrooms were usually seen as a glimpse of a person's soul.

Back at his apartment, Ivan's room had a red comforter and a gold-yellow afghan he had crocheted for himself a couple years ago. It was organized but for his large desk, the papers and sticky notes spilling onto the cream-colored carpet constantly. Books overflowed from the waist-high cases, piles littering the floor on either side of his desk.

This room, though… It was plain, and there was a suitcase sitting up beneath the window, as if Alfred were constantly ready to pack up and go.

The full-sized bed was made like one in a hotel, and the books, folders, and papers were stacked neatly on the desk just right of the door. To the left was the door leading to the bathroom, PJs hanging from the hook.

Everything looked immaculate, and… plain. The only personal touch was a picture on the nightstand on the bed's left: a photograph of a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes holding a small boy in her lap, his grin going from ear to ear. Two of his teeth were missing, and he clutched a toy Charizard to his chest.

It was the same Charizard the boy would take to school every day in kindergarten, getting teased about needing a doll. He'd get pushed and get his Charizard stolen. One day, it was almost thrown into a urinal that hadn't been flushed. Ivan had happened to be there and took it from the bully, violet eyes burning and mouth a straight line.

The boys had run screaming, but the boy had given Ivan a hug and thanked him.

"_Call me Al!" he said with a slight lisp. "Thank you so much. Hey! You're the giant a girl from my class talked about. She says you have demon eyes and that they look really cool. She's right. Wanna be friends?"_

_Blinking and taken aback, Ivan gave an absent nod._

"_Don't talk much?"_

_Ivan shook his head. Grandfather didn't like too much noise at home. He argued with Mom a lot, and it scared Ivan. He couldn't show it, though. Nat just turned three, and she needed her big brother to be strong. Big Sister helped take care of the two of them, but she cried easily. Ivan needed to be her rock so she wouldn't worry too much. She was eight, but that was still little, too, even if she looked bigger than she actually was._

"_That's okay." Al's bright blue eyes sparkled as he looked up to meet Ivan's gaze. "Dad says I talk too much, so that means we fit. Like the pieces of my puzzle back home! Wanna go play on the swings?"_

_Blinking again, Ivan nodded and took Al's extended hand. It was warm, and the purple-eyed child smiled more naturally than usual as they headed out into the hallway and towards the playground._

Then, Ivan remembered: This wasn't _really_ Alfred's room. He was allowed to live here, and he was sure the Edelsteins were doing what they could to make him feel welcome. However, with a drug-abusing mother and that devil of a sperm donor—Ivan refused to think of him as a father—Alfred probably felt as though he didn't really belong anywhere and should be ready to leave at any time.

There was also the fact he possibly had nightmares of _that man_ finding him here.

There were people here that would protect him like a pack of wolves with a cub; that's how it was in small towns like Hetaville. Yet, Alfred probably had doubts about belonging anywhere. Ivan knew what that was like.

Alfred pulled the chair away from his desk and motioned towards his bed.

"Sit," he insisted, setting the gift onto the chair. There was a small closet to the right of his bed, and he took a box wrapped in white-and-red paper from it. "I… hope you like it."

He was blushing again as he handed the box to Ivan before picking up his and sitting on the high-backed chair.

"Um…." Ivan pushed his long bangs away from his eyes, and he pulled off his leather gloves. "Open them together?" He took off his tan coat and red hat, laying them over the foot of the bed.

"Sure." Alfred rolled up his sleeves past the elbows. He then met Ivan's gaze. "Ready?"

The sound of ripping paper bounced off of the blindingly-white walls.

Alfred's eyes widened as his glasses slipped down his nose a fraction of an inch. "How did you…" He looked short of breath as his eyes reddened at the edges. He pulled the brown bomber jacket from the box, running his hand over the leather of one of the sleeves.

It was from World War II. Ivan had needed to haggle with Mr. Zwingli for almost a half-hour, but, luckily, his younger sister had been there that day. Erika always went easier on customers than her penny-pinching brother—she also had Mr. Zwingli wrapped around her little finger, loath as he was to admit it.

"I heard your mom had one just like it," said Ivan in a soft voice, his box unwrapped but still taped shut. The look on the blonde's face made his heart swell, making him smile too.

Alfred gave a nod. "Yeah." He cleared his throat. "She sold it in San Fran to…." He cleared his throat again and met Ivan's gaze with eyes that shimmered with tears Alfred was doing his best to hold back. "Thanks. Really, _thank you_. This means… a lot."

He gently lowered the jacket into the box as he sniffed and set it on the carpeted floor next to him.

"Forgot I taped that pretty good," he chuckled, opening the top drawer of the desk and taking out a pair of scissors. He handed them to Ivan and sat back down. "Hope you like it."

The tape parted easily with the shears, and Ivan set them down onto the bed as he opened the box, his breath catching. It was a long, pale pink-purple scarf, almost creamy in color. The knitting looked to have been done with an unstable hand, mistakes in many places. It also frayed at one end, but the sight of it made the taller man feel warm inside when he usually felt so cold.

"Feli said she saw you knitting sometimes before and after school. It's probably not as good as any of the stuff you've made, but I tried my best," Alfred said quickly, color dusting his cheeks again. "It was a lot harder than I thought it'd be. I started three weeks ago and still had to stay up all night to fin—"

His eyes widened when his mouth was suddenly covered by Ivan's.

Still leaning in closely when he broke away, Ivan whispered with a smile, "Just shut up once in a while, please."

His face was on fire, the heat leaking down and condensing inside his chest. It then dropped down to his stomach once large enough, slowly moving even lower.

Smiling wide, Alfred gave a nod. "Gladly."

He launched forward, the two bumping noses as Alfred grabbed the front of Ivan's V-neck sweater. He pushed him down onto the bed, and Ivan smirked into the kiss as he flipped Alfred over and heat zinged through his body. He wrapped the scarf around the two of them as they kissed, the feel of the snakebite piercings hitting Ivan's bottom lip and teeth somehow adding more to the experience.

He ran a tongue over the piercings before Alfred propped himself up to cover Ivan's mouth with his own, slowly moving downwards to gently take Ivan's bottom lip between his teeth as his hand moved to Ivan's waist, gently pushing up his sweater and undershirt.

"This okay?" he whispered after letting his lip go.

In response, Ivan moved one hand up Alfred's flat stomach as he trailed kisses along his angular jaw and down his neck, moving slowly and giving more pressure with each kiss.

When Ivan reached Alfred's collar bone, there was a sudden call from downstairs: "Boys! Snacks are ready!"

Ivan jolted back, scarf falling to the bed as his hand slipped on his coat, nearly sending him back over the footboard. Alfred's entire face was bright red, and the first time he tried to speak, his voice was high-pitched, making Ivan laugh.

The taller man covered his mouth to muffle the sound, and Alfred glared as he called back, "Thank you, Mrs. Edelstein!"

"Eliza! Or Elizabeta, if you really want to be formal," she corrected. "And I have cream and sugar out for the coffee. Roderich and I will go visit the Beilschmidts next door for about an hour, okay? Take out the other cake when the timer goes off."

Alfred moved off of the bed. "Yes, ma'am!" He gave a lopsided grin towards Ivan. "Later?"

"Later," Ivan agreed, and he tied the scarf around his neck.

Smiling, Alfred put on his new bomber jacket and started heading for the door with Ivan right behind. He joined his side once they were down the stairs, Mr. and Mrs. Edelstein heading out the front door.

The two joined hands and smiled as they went into the den, where Mrs. Eliza had set out the coffee and two slices of cake.

"Merry Christmas," said Alfred, sitting on the two-seater couch, which sat opposite of the wide windows overlooking the front garden.

Ivan sat next to him and gave him a peck on the lips. "Merry Christmas."

**_Saw an AU prompt on Tumblr, and I thought I'd give it a go! :)_**

**_And here's how I imagine the end part of the conversation between Roddy and Eliza:_**  
**_Roddy: It's been quiet..._**  
**_Eliza: Good. It's when it gets loud we'll need to worry._**  
**_Roddy: ..._**  
**_Eliza: Relax! What are they going to do while we're in the house?_**  
**_Roddy: Remember when I snuck into your room when you were grounded for attending that party with your soccer team?_**  
**_Eliza: ..._**  
**_Roddy: Your father was right down the hall in his study. You decided to make it a game. See how far we could go before he -_**  
**_Eliza: *yelling* Boys! Snacks are ready!_**

**_Translations:_**

**_French_**  
**_Mon petit chou - common term of endearment for children; literally means "my little cabbage"_**  
**_Oui, Papa - "Yes, Dad!"_**  
**_Mais oui! - "Of course!"_**  
**_Merci beaucoup - "Thank you very much"_**  
**_Je vous en prie - "You're welcome" (polite/formal)  
Très bien! - "Very good!"_**

**_German_**  
**_Arschgesicht - "Ass face"_**

**_Russian  
Babushka - "grandmother"  
Braht - "brother"_**

**_If I got any of these wrong, feel free to correct me in your review or in a PM._**


End file.
